Tundra
Most of the precipitation that falls in the Tundra is in the form of ___.
snow
Name an abiotic factor in a polar ecosystem that has a high albedo.
Ice or snow
A process that removes carbon dioxide (a GHG) from the atmosphere
Photosynthesis (or carbon sequestration)
algae -> krill -> fish -> polar bear
The organisms in this food chain can be found in which (specific) ecosystem?
Polar Ecosystems
(NOT Arctic Tundra)
Polar bear populations are threatened due to climate change. Specifically, ___.
Diminished (reduced) sea ice, which the polar bears need to hunt for seals.
NOT the warmer weather
Name a specific location that has Arctic Tundra.
northern Canada, northern Alaska, northern Russia, Iceland, Scandinavia (Finland, Norway, Sweden)
phytoplankton -> krill -> fish -> penguin -> seal
Name the herbivore.
krill
Name two examples of greenhouse gas.
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, CFCs.
Note: Both choices must be correct. Not Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, 'pollution', or any fossil fuel.
Name an herbivore of the Tundra.
Arctic hares, caribou, musk ox, lemmings, pika, marmot, bighorn sheep, etc
Name two animal adaptations found in the Arctic tundra.
Camouflage, storing fat, hibernation, migration, thick fur/feathers, etc
Name a specific location with Alpine Tundra.
The Rocky Mountains, the Alps, the Andes, or the Himalayas (including Mount Everest)
NO CREDIT for mountaintops or high elevation
Name an autotroph found in a polar ecosystem.
Algae or phytoplankton
Name two predicted impacts of climate change that affect tundra or polar ecosystems.
Melting sea ice, melting permafrost, less krill (less food for community), more inbreeding (lack of ice to connect populations), warmer temperatures, endangered polar bears, etc. Must have two specific impacts.
Name a autotroph found in an Arctic tundra.
moss, lichen, or grass
NOT algae or phytoplankton
In the Arctic tundra, water does not soak into the soil much due to __, leading to muddy summers.
Permafrost
The Arctic tundra's frozen subsoil is called __.
permafrost
The ____ in the Arctic ocean is lower at the surface, due to melting ice. It is higher at the bottom, due to density differences.
Salinity (or salt level)
Name the 3 main types of fossil fuels.
Coal, oil, and natural gas
Note: Greenhouse gases are not fossil fuels
Summers in the Arctic Tundra provide an ideal habitat for insects, attracting many migratory ___.
birds
The main limiting factor in the Arctic (or Antarctic) tundra
temperature
Arctic tundra is so cold due to the ____, while Alpine tundra is cold due to the ____. (Be specific)
high latitude (location near North & South Poles) and high altitude (or high elevation or high mountaintops)
What juvenile organisms depend on sea ice for food (algae that grow underneath) and protection?
Krill
Name one specific consequence of melting/thawing permafrost.
unstable buildings/roads foundations (leading to sinking or collapse), releasing methane or other GHG, re-surfacing of preserved/frozen dead organisms (possibly leading to disease spread)
Name one specific plant adaptation found in the Arctic tundra.
small size with short roots (due to permafrost), growing low to the ground (to avoid wind), growing in clumps (to lower the impact of cold), growing in low temperatures, etc
The border between alpine tundra and taiga (or other forest):
Treeline